Politicising of national security ‘not helpful’, Asio spy chief says as Scott Morrison ramps up attack

Prime minister labels Labor frontbencher a Manchurian candidate' as he continues partisan rhetoric on China

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Australia's domestic spy chief, Mike Burgess, has declared the weaponisation of national security is not helpful to us" after extraordinary scenes in federal parliament where Scott Morrison labelled a senior Labor frontbencher a Manchurian candidate".

With Morrison ramping up the partisan rhetoric about risks to Australia's sovereignty, the Asio director general told the ABC on Wednesday night the risk of foreign interference was equal opportunity". These risks affected all members of parliament, he told the 7.30 program, so it doesn't go after one particular party or the other".